Categories

Blog Archive

Subscribe

26 April 2007

BYU's Commencement

Today I heard Dick Cheney speak. His speech was wonderful enough that the filled-to-the-max Marriott Center gave him a standing ovation. I leaned over to my brother's girlfriend and said, "Now he's thinking, 'I've got to remember to send some roses to my speech writer.'"

He talked about how set backs can do just that--set us back, or they can inspire you to move forward. We get second chances and should give them. Everyone has someone who helps them just when they need it, and for that we should be grateful. He said, "Gratitude in general is usually a correct attitude."

I was surprised to see that the three or four protesters on the edge of campus were fogies. They had signs that accused Cheney of things I'd never even heard of. One of them kindly asked Mike what he had studied. I wished they had gotten to hear Cheney's speech. There will always be someone who doesn't agree with something you did. But that doesn't mean you don't have something good to say now and then.

The student who spoke also did well. I think his name was Chris Pierson (sp?).

Overall, the commencement was quite enjoyable, especially the kifing of other people's brownies as Lauren's sidekick.

2 comments:

I find that most politicians, when you actually give them a chance, have plenty of good ideas. In general they are educated, smart, charming, and have a desire to get things done. I know there are differences of opinion in how to solve the world's problems, but there aren't easy answers. If there were, we'd have solved them by now. Still, I think our society is wrongly too confrontational, too argumentative, and too polarized. There's a lot more middle ground than most people think.